Section 1- Using Persuasive Language

Transcription

1 Section 1- Using Persuasive Language Background info for teachers The Bay was filmed by world renowned and Emmy award winning, underwater cameraman Doug Anderson, whose work over the years includes, The Blue Planet Planet Earth and the recently shown Life series for the BBC. The Bay is a film made by COAST. It shows the viewer glimpses of the magical world that still exists below the waves in a typical bay in Scotland but also reveals the disastrous effect which man is having on that same environment. It asks serious questions about the future management of the marine environment and whether enough is being done to protect our seas. The seas around Scotland support more than 8,000 marine species and a myriad of habitats that underpin important economic and social activities from recreational: diving, sailing, tourism and angling, to commercial: energy generation, oil extraction, shipping, aquaculture and fisheries. However, growing human pressures threaten the health of the sea s precious marine life and the livelihoods of those dependent upon it. e are all familiar with the threat to the many animals and habitats which face extinction in the rest of the world but are often unaware that the marine life around our own shores is also struggling to survive. They are unseen, under the sea, but their demise has untold consequences. ill these creatures survive for our grandchildren to know them; and can the damage being done to the sea by the activities of man be reversed? ill the sea life in the bay ever recover to its former glory and diversity? ill the diversity of the bay continue to decline? COAST hopes that this film will not only educate and inform but will also raise awareness of the conservation issues. It demonstrates that we need to act now to conserve our wonderful and diverse marine environment and have a sustainable fishing industry for future generations. Teachers notes for activities Activity 1 The Bay enquiry (First viewing) The first viewing could be designed to generate discussion in pairs/groups/as a class and for children to enjoy the awe and wonder of the life in Lamlash Bay. Once viewed for the first time ask the children what they already know about the sea and generate questions about what they have just watched. Encourage open ended questions: hat? hen? hy? here? How? Ask the children to think about questions which may have more than one answer depending on who is asked. Think about what would happen if we didn t have the sea. rite the questions on the whiteboard with little direction or comment, accepting all questions. Older children could carry out this activity in groups with an able writer as scribe. The questions can then be grouped e.g. those which can be answered easily by using reference books or the internet, and those which may be more difficult to answer. here can we find the answers? ho could help us? How will we record the information? How will we gain the

2 information? For example by ing COAST or another organization, or writing letters or interviewing someone? Children follow an enquiry based approach in groups or with a partner. A class think book could be created where the children s comments/questions could be written. They could add to this throughout the topic. They will be using what they have learned when they come to activity 3. Activity 1a Message from The Bay (second viewing) Refresh children s memories about the film. Discuss the message the film is portraying and its persuasive nature. Explain to them that they are going to view the film again and look for the tools the makers of the film have used to try to make the audience care about the bay. Using work sheet, Message from the Bay, in pairs, or threes, children note down their observations in each category whilst watching the film. (It may be necessary to make sure that the pupils are familiar with language features, metaphor, simile, personification, emotive language before this activity). Discuss why it is important to recognise the methods writers and film makers use to persuade us to take on their point of view - an additional activity could be identifying fact and opinion in texts. Further activities Children create their own similes, metaphors or personification on marine life. This could be done over several lessons. Create own phrases using emotive language or rhetorical questions, either on the marine issue or an issue of their choice. Activity 2 Features of persuasive text Ask the children to identify some of the features they would expect to see in a persuasive text. Talk through their ideas and the features of persuasive text sheet/power Point. A whole lesson could be given over to each of the following: emotive language, powerful verbs and adjectives or rhetorical questions. Exploring this language will mean the children have it at their fingertips when producing their own text. The children can now examine the COAST leaflet to find the various features. They could also bring persuasive texts from home to examine or have a collection in the class for them to look at. Activity 3 Can you persuade others to care? Having explored the features of persuasive texts and carried out their enquiry into the Bay, the children can now decide how they are going to communicate their message to others i.e. create their own text, newspaper article, piece of drama, art work, or presentation. They can use the sheet provided (Features of Persuasive Texts) as a check list for the features they might include in a text and the worksheet, Message from the Bay, to remind them of the different language features they could P

3 use. Hopefully they will be able to use some of the phrases they created in Activity 1a. The COAST leaflet is directed mainly at adults. A piece of text, e.g. poster or leaflet could be designed for younger children. Discussion could take place on whether all the various features need to be included in a text for a younger audience. The pupils could choose the age group their text/presentation will be targeted at. Activity 4 The Bay, Virtual Dive This activity is designed to focus the pupils during viewing. They will look for examples of different habitats, adaptation, camouflage and symbiosis (organisms working together for mutual benefit). Activity 5 Problem solving challenge The children are asked to take part in an imaginary survey dive by Seasearch Scotland. Based on the fact that the dive needs to be made within two hours of high tide, considering the ferry and train times, the children plan their journey from Glasgow to Lamlash using timetables and tide times. Activity 6 The Bay comprehension activity Read the questions before viewing so that the pupils can watch out for the information required to complete the worksheet.

4 Similes Music Personification Activity 1a Ending Message from The Bay Metaphors Emotive language

5 Activity2 Features of Persuasive Texts Persuasive texts try to persuade people to do something or to take on a particular opinion about something. Can you think of some examples? Features Give only one point of view and a strong argument for this point of view Opening statement of opinion e.g. a headline, opening sentence, could be a rhetorical question, eye catching. Use evidence to back up this opinion, statistical/scientific, dates and quotes. Emotive language... adjectives/adverbs, e.g. huge cost, depleted at a rate never witnessed before. Language which will make the audience care. Images which engage the audience/hook them in. Powerful rhetorical questions e.g. how could we possibly...? Is it really worth...? Forceful statements to win over the audience. Mainly present tense unless suggesting possible outcomes. Conclude with a summary or suggest action which could be taken. Think about the structure of your writing and include: headings, sub headings, bullet points and labelled diagrams Examine the COAST No Take Zone leaflet with a partner. How many of the above features can you find? hich features can you not find? Look for other persuasive texts at home and bring them into school. Consider adverts on television, newspapers and magazines.

6 Activity 3 Can you persuade others to care? Biology deals with the facts of the living world; the variety of animals and plants around us and how they interact with each other so that each gets the four necessities of life; air, food, warmth and shelter. The COAST film The Bay, emphasises the interdependence of plants and animals in food chains and the need for shelter from predators, especially when young and vulnerable. Dredging the red maerl shows how habitat damage can occur. The Bay is unique. It uses both facts and a persuasive, emotional commentary to try and engage the viewers feelings and make them feel involved and passionate about preserving the Lamlash Bay marine life for the future. Apart from films, there are other ways of getting the message through to people. Newspaper articles, drama, posters, leaflet, poetry and art can also be used. Discuss with your teacher which of these methods you should use. Your Challenge is to increase understanding and awareness of marine life and ecosystems by promoting your own views about conservation of the marine environment at Lamlash Bay. You need to get over some facts but the important point is that you need to make your audience care!! The basic facts are in the text box below and in the COAST leaflet. You could also visit the COAST website. The Facts Lamlash bay is home to beds of red maerl, a rare calcified seaweed that is important as a nursery for fish and molluscs. In the past this area was damaged by intensive scallop fishing but in 2008, part of the bay was made a No Take Zone, effectively outlawing fishing or the collection of marine life by any means. It is hoped that in future, the maerl beds will recover completely and that this will have a positive effect on the health of all marine life in the bay and surrounding area. There are signs of this happening already. The No Take Zone is the result of a hard fought battle by the community of Arran to protect

7 Activity4 The Bay, Virtual Dive You are about to go on an incredible journey. You will be exploring what lies beneath Lamlash Bay. Choose a diving buddy to go on the adventure with you. Seasearch Scotland has asked you to record some of your observations. Seasearch Observation Form Diver s name: Buddy s name:... Date of Dive:... Name of Site:. animals working together for their mutual benefit (scientists call this symbiosis) examples of different habitats animals which use camouflage animals/plants which have adapted to their environment Can you think of two ways our seas are being damaged?

8 Activity 5 PROBLEM SOLVING CHALLENGE for individuals or teams Seasearch are so pleased with your video survey, that they have invited you to take part in an actual seabed survey on Arran! The survey needs to be done so that any increase in the numbers of fish and scallops can be recorded. The survey needs to be made within two hours of high tide so you need to be in Lamlash at least one hour before diving to check your equipment, and get to the dive site. A dive lasts about 30 mins. You will meet the rest of the dive team in Glasgow. Here we have supplied the web addresses for train and ferry timetables from Glasgow Central Station to Ardrossan Harbour from where the ferries depart for Brodick on the Isle of Arran. You will be collected from Brodick by car. It takes about 10 minutes to get to Lamlash from the ferry. Here is a web address for the local tide timetables. tide_tables choose Scotland and Arran is number 408 Individual or Team name Our dive date is... High tide is at Depart Glasgow at.. Depart Ardrossan at. Arrive Lamlash at..

9 Activity 6 The Bay The Bay was filmed in a place called Lamlash on an island in Scotland called Arran. The people of Lamlash formed COAST (the Community of Arran Seabed Trust) and spent many years campaigning and talking to the Scottish Government and fishermen to get part of the bay protected from destructive fishing methods. In 2008 they succeeded. Now part of the bay is a No Take Zone where no fishing can take place. Answer the following based on what you have seen In The BAY DVD. here is your favourite bit of coastline? If it was under threat what would you do to help protect it? hy is maerl so important? Can you remember from the dive which baby animals live amongst the maerl? Can you think of two ways our seas are being damaged?

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